Nairobi pledges to support youth centre on International Youth Day

Nairobi, 12 August 2016 – This year’s International Youth Day was marked in Nairobi with song and dance as the County Government pledged to re-establish the UN-Habitat founded One Stop Youth Resource Centre.

“I am making the commitment here that the Nairobi City County Government will from this financial year ensure that the One Stop Youth Resource Centre is empowered to give the young people of Nairobi opportunities to explore their talents,” the Executive in charge of ICT and Youth Anne Lokidor said.

During the colourful event, guests were entertained by various youth groups drawn from various parts of Nairobi with a culture troupe Marimba Dancers taking the lead.

“The performances here show that the youth in this city have talent. It is this talent we want to nurture so that the young people are allowed to develop their full potential. As a county government we see the centre as a social entrepreneurship which is a very good idea,” she said.

Youth leading sustainability

August 12 is International Youth Day which is celebrated worldwide in recognition of the role of young people in providing community solutions hence contributing to the overall development. In Kenya, the overall theme of this year was “The Road to 2030: Eradicating Poverty and Achieving Sustainable Production and Consumption.” With the following specific theme: Youth leading sustainability.

According to the organisers, this year’s Day was about turning the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development into reality. “All activities therefore, will be focusing on the leading role young people play in eradicating poverty and achieving sustainable development through sustainable production and consumption.”

Speaking on the same occasion the leader of UN-Habitat’s Youth Unit Doug Ragan assured the youth present of the agency’s commitment to the ideals that saw it spearhead the formation of the One Stop more than ten years ago.
“UN-Habitat feels honoured to work with the youth of Nairobi and Kenya in general. We will continue with this partnership to give the young people a chance,” he said.

Ragan said Kenya was fast gaining world recognition in the field of Information Technology, a development that could be exploited by the young people. He said the establishment of an IT hub in Nairobi was proof of the advancement the country had witnessed in the sector.

In her speech, Project Officer with the Kenya Red Cross Ms. Faima Mohammed asked the young people of Nairobi to join her organization’s many programmes specifically tailored for them.

“Every Saturday our volunteers are engaged in community work and this is one area where we want as many young people as possible to take part in,” she said.

The OSYC coordinator Wainaina Muiruri appealed for more support from donors in order to expand the programme’s reach among Nairobi youth.